Deathstriders
The Deathstriders are a small but highly dangerous mercenary cohort of rogue Thallaxii who have been at large since they fought alongside the Traitor Legions during the Horus Heresy. They have been sited by Imperial forces within the Galactic East and South, often fighting under the banner of Chaotic or renegade forces, though on occasion they have been seen assisting Imperial forces. History The Deathstriders were formed during the Horus Heresy, led by the renegade Thallax known as Sigma XI, they became the bane of Imperial forces on various worlds leading up to their abandonment of the forces of Chaos during the Battle for Terra. Since then they have led lives of piracy, selling their skills to the highest bidder in order to get repairs and parts to keep themselves functioning. The Great Crusade The Deathstriders, originally designated Cohort 265, was one of a handful of Thallax Cohorts created during the Great Crusade era to further mankind's reach into the stars. They served with distinction in the infamous ranks of the Ordo Reductor, and stood out from the rest of their cyborg bertherin for their uncanny amount of self awareness. Thus following a successful joint campaign on the mining world of Styxx, the Cohort was assigned to the Luna Wolves Space Marine Legion, under the direct command of the Ordo Reductor Magos, Simbali. Cohort265 would become well known throughout the VII Legion, and it seemed that Horus himself was interested in the killing machines, dubbing them 'The Deathstriders' after witnessing them in battle against the Orks of Ullanor. Drop Site Massacre, Istavaan I Sigma XI and his Cohort did not take part in the bloodbath of the Drop Site Massacre, and instead were deployed to Istvaan I with a small Kill-Team of Luna Wolves and Emperor's Children, where rumored Loyalist elements may be hiding. What the machines found were not loyalists, but instead packs of Gene-Stealers! The Emperor's Children were wiped out in the first few minutes as the group made its way through the disheveled mining facilities. The Luna Wolves, nine Terminators and two Techmarines, fought for their lives alongside the Cohort. Sigma XI and his Cohort had secured an exit from the infested facility in the vehicle bays, saving the remainder of the Kill-Team. Following the scouring of Istavaan I by a larger force, the Cohort was officially assigned its commanding Techmairine, who would command them until the Battle of Terra, Guth Darten. Weapons/Tactics Thallax were designed for siege warfare and and assault. Their natural abilities as hyper-mobile heavy weapons platforms and considerable skill in close quarters combat make the Deathstriders an extremely potent force rivaling mighty Space Marines in raw killing power. Their arsenal of ancient weaponry, much of it considered rare even during the Great Crusades, is devastating in the hands of these cold and ruthless cyborgs. The Deathstriders are proficient in various fields of warfare, from their natural role as elite heavy infantry, to more unexpected roles as ambush and fast attack units. Category:Dark Mechanicum Category:Freelancers Category:Mercenaries Category:Machines Category:Excommunicate Traitoris